Improvement in match-safes



G. H. SNOW.

Match Safe.

Patented April 19, 1864.

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NITED STATES G. H. SNOW, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT lN MATCH-SAFES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,414, dated April 19,1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, G. H. SNOW, of New Haven, in the county of New Havenand State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Match-Safe;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is avertical central section of my invention taken in the line a: m, Fig. 2;Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same taken in the line :1 y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

This invention relates to a new and int proved safe for frictionmatches; and it consists in the employment or use of a sliding boxarranged with a fixed rod and fitted in a casein such a manner that byforcing 'down the sliding box a match will protrude through the top ofthe box so that it may be grasped by the thumb and finger and readilyabstracted from the box. By this arrangement. the box may be filled withmatches and only one removed from it at once. The matcln s cannot beaccidentally spilled from the box and be come scattered about the fioor,as is the ease with the ordinary boxes or safes, and the device may beconstructed ata reasonable cost.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, 1 will proceed to describe it.

A represents a box or case, which may be of cylindrical, conical, orother form, and constructed of either metal or wood. This box or casemay be permanently attached to a wall or any convenient fixture, or itmay be secured to a proper base when designed for standing alone and tobe removed from place to place as required for use. Within this box orcase A there is fitted another box, B, arranged so as to slide freely upand down therein. The box B may be of cylindrical form and constructedof sheet metal, provided with a conical lid or cover, at, having anopening, a, at its apex, and with an inverted conical bottomib, as shownclearly in Fig. 1. The sides of the box B extend down below the conicalbottomlb, and it has a wire, 0, passing through perforations made in itto serve as a stop to prevent the box B being withdrawn from A, thelatter having a shoulder, d, within it near its upper end to prevent thewithdrawal of B from it.

At the center of the conical bottom b there is an opening, 0, andpendent tubef, to receive a fixed rod, C, the lower end of which issecured in the bottom of the box or case A, and on said rod C there isplaced a spiral spring, D, the upper end of which bears against thebottom I) of the box B and has a tendency to keep the latter elevated toits fullest extent.-.

The top of the rod C is made of slightly concave form.

The operation is as follows: The box B is supplied with matches, thedipped ends being downward, and, owing to the inverted conical form ofthe bottom I), a match will always find its way upon the upper end ofthe fixed rod 0, which, when the box B is in an elevated position, is atthe lower -end of the tube f. (See Fig. 1.) hen a match is required tobe abstracted from the box B, the latter is forced down by theapplication of the fore finger and thumb and the match on the upper endof the rob C, in consequence of being stationary, will protrude throughthe opening a in the top of the cover a of the box B, and this match isgrasped by the operator and withdrawn from the box B, the latter risingwhen relieved from the pressure which forced it down. The movement. ofthe box B, especially the concussion produced by the spring D forcingthe wire 0 against the shoulder (1, will cause a match to settle orpassupon the upper end of the rod C each time a match is withdrawn fromthe box B. The boxB should be pressed gently down and allowed to risequickly in order to have the device operate perfectly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The sliding box B, in connection with the stationary box A, the rod 0,and spring D, or its equivalent, all arranged to operate substantiallyas and for the purpose herein set forth.

' GEO. H. SNOW.

Witnesses:

J. A. Woon,

J. M. lVIARTIN.

